The 1^st meeting of the 8^th Board of Directors of Huaqiao University (HQU) was held at Quanzhou campus on the morning of December 14^th. Among those attending the meeting were Cai Dafeng, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Chairman of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) and of the 8^th HQU Board of Directors; Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Director of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council; Xing Shanping, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Head of the UFWD of the CPC Fujian Province; Wu Hongqin, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Fujian Provincial People's Congress; Kang Tao, Secretary of the CPC Quanzhou Municipal Committee; Lin Heping, Director of the Education Department of Fujian Province, and Yan Keshi, Chairman of Fujian CAPD and Vice Mayor of Fuzhou City. The meeting was chaired by Choy So-yuk, Deputy Secretary-General of the 8^th Board of Directors of HQU.

The 8^th Board of Directors of HQU consists of 103 directors, including 15 Vice Chairmen. Xu Yousheng and Xing Shanping granted the Letter of Appointment to the directors.

Xing Shanping delivered a speech on behalf of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Provincial Government. She hoped that HQU would adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, accelerate the modernization of running system and capacity, give full play to the advantages of an elite university that features in serving overseas Chinese, and constantly improve the education quality and overall level of education. By actively connecting with the major national development strategies and local development needs, HQU would further enhance the ability to serve the overseas Chinese and the national economic and social development, and thus make greater contribution to the construction of a new Fujian and the realization of the Chinese Dream.

In the speech, Xu Yousheng expressed his hopes that the leadership and faculty of HQU should remain true to the original aspiration and keep its mission firmly in mind, implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at Jinan University with a more pragmatic style and more effective measures, adhere to the party's overall leadership and head for a correct direction in school running, and persist in the fundamental task of strengthening moral education and cultivating more outstanding talents at home and abroad. HQU should highlight the characteristics of serving overseas Chinese and promote traditional Chinese culture, strengthen reforms and innovations and speed up the construction of first-class disciplines, thus to give its advantages to full play in serving the major national strategies, local economic and social development, as well as the overall situation of the united front work of our country.

Cai Dafeng, Chairman of the 8^th Board of Directors of HQU, pointed out that HQU is a university with a special background and lofty missions. The Board of Directors has played a vital role in raising funds for running the university, pooling intellectual support and facilitating the construction and development of the university. He hoped that HQU, under the firm leadership of the UFWD, would further advance the implementation of Special Action Plan on In-depth Study and Application of the Important Speech Delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at Jinan University, and seize the great opportunities of the national Double First-Class construction and the joint construction by the Ministry of Education, UFWD and Fujian Province , staying true to the founding missions, closely following the needs of the national and local economic and social development, closely following the needs of the national united front work, and sticking to the fundamental task of strengthening moral education and cultivating people. As a university serving overseas Chinese, HQU should work hard to spread the traditional Chinese culture to the world, strive to achieve the Double First-Class initiative and become a high-level university, and endeavor its strength and wisdom to maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, to advance the great course of peaceful reunification of the motherland, to cultivate more China-friendly forces, to train more high-quality talents and to contribute to the realization of the Chinese Dream.

President Xu Xipeng, on behalf of HQU, delivered the Report on the Work of Huaqiao University (2017-2019) --- Gathering Strength to Unite Overseas Chinese, Aiming at Constructing an Excellent University. He reported HQU’s achievements in the past three years, and put forward the main ideas and problems encountered in promoting the construction and development of the university against the requirements of Special Action Plan.

Lee Pik-tsong, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of HQU, reported on the work of the 7^th Board of Directors. Vice Chairman Tong Chi Kin and Yao Zhisheng delivered opening and closing speeches respectively.

The directors at the meeting discussed and deliberated on the work report of HQU and that of the Board of Directors, and made suggestions on HQU's overall development plan, the implementation of the strategy of running an elite university for overseas Chinese, the construction of Double First-Class university, the 60^th anniversary, as well as the construction of the Board of Directors, contributing wisdom and strength to the construction and development of HQU.

Cai Dafeng, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, Chairman of the CAPD, Chairman of the 8^th Board of Directors of HQU, delivers his speech.

Xu Yousheng, Vice Minister of the UFWD of CPC Central Committee and Director of Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, delivers his speech.

Xing Shanping, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Head of the UFWD of the CPC Fujian Province, delivers her speech.

Lee Pik-tsong, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the HQU, reports on the work of the 7^th Board of Directors.

President Xu Xipeng reports on the work of HQU.

Xu Yousheng and Xing Shanping grant the Letter of Appointment to the directors.

1^st Meeting of the 8^th Board of Directiors of Huaqiao University (HQU)